The present disclosure relates to white balancing of image data. White balancing is a method for reducing color casts, so that objects that appear white in one context also appear white in another context. The present disclosure also relates to the performance of white balancing while accommodating a creative white point.
An encoding white point (also known as a device white point, media white point, or color space white point) is the point in a color space to which the color space values are normalized. Typically the encoding white point exists where all of the channels of the encoding device are maximum and equal.
A creative white point is a point in the color space of an encoding device other than the encoding white point selected to represent white. Creative white points are common in cinematography where they are used by a film creator to change the chromaticity perceived by the audience as being neutral. The use of a creative white point can change the apparent light source or mood of an image.
A reference white point (also known as a output white point or a target white point) is a point in a target color space with a predefined color temperature. For example, D50 (also known as daylight 5000K) in the CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, AKA International Commission on Illumination) XYZ color space is a common reference white point and corresponds to a chromaticity of x=0.34567 and y=0.35850 for CIE 1931 (X=0.9642, Y=1.0000, Z=0.8249).